CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR PURCHASE OF YOUR THUNDER WEEKENDER! For your personal safety, please ensure you read and fully understand these warnings and instructions before operating the Weekender, supplied battery charger and optional accessories.

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CONTENTS 3.

Warnings

4.

Thunder Weekender specifications

6.

Installing your battery

7. Operating the LED display 9.

Charging your battery in the Thunder Weekender

12. Using the accessory ports 13. Using the 240 Volt power inverter 14. Transporting the Thunder Weekender 15. FAQs and trouble shooting

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Contents

WARNINGS THUNDER WEEKENDER

• When the Weekender is equipped with a battery it may exceed single person lifting capacity. Always ensure proper lifting techniques are used when moving the Weekender.

• To prevent possible electric shock, always ensure persons (including children) who have not read and fully understood this manual and the operating procedures of the Weekender are supervised, and do not play or tamper with the Weekender. • For your safety and to prevent possible electric shock, never dismantle the Weekender, there are no serviceable components inside the unit and your warranty will be void if opened. • Never insert foreign objects into the Weekender’s 240 Volt power socket. • To prevent a possible short circuit, do not allow conductive objects near your battery’s terminals.

• Do not expose the Weekender to weather conditions such as rain, hail, snow, wet areas or high particle / dust environments. • Ensure the Weekender is always positioned on a flat, even surface to avoid tipping and possible battery leakage. Some batteries contain acid that can damage eyes or skin upon contact. • Ensure there is adequate ventilation when charging your battery within the Weekender. Do not blanket or cover the top of your battery inside the Weekender. For your own safety, do not smoke or allow an open flame near the battery inside the Weekender. • Ensure correct sized wiring is supplied to the Weekender when connecting to your vehicle. A qualified Auto Electrician should be consulted prior to vehicle fitment or temporary connection. • Operating the 240 Volt inverter without an adequate ground connection to the earth terminal point (1) may cause an electrical hazard.

THUNDER WEEKENDER BATTERY CHARGER • Do not attempt to recharge a non-rechargeable battery with the Thunder Weekender battery charger.

• Always check that the AC supply cord on the Battery charger is not damaged. An electrician must be consulted to repair the cable, should any damage occur.

• For your safety and to prevent possible electric shock, never dismantle the Thunder Weekender battery charger, there are no serviceable components inside the unit and your warranty will be void if opened.

• For your safety and to prevent possible electric shock, ensure the Thunder Weekender battery charger is not left to operate in wet areas or submerged under water.

Warnings

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THUNDER WEEKENDER SPECIFICATIONS

1 Earth Terminal Point

7 USB Socket

2 Positive Connection Jumper Leads

8 USB Control Switch

(Sold Separately)

3 Negative Connection Jumper Leads

9 240 Volt Battery Charger Input

(Sold Separately)

4 Master Switch 5 240 Volt Inverter Control Switch

10 50 Amp Anderson Plug Connection

6 240 Volt Power Socket

11 Standard Accessory Socket x 2

12 Merit Style Accessory Socket x 2

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Thunder Weekender Specifications

1 2 3

Earth Terminal Point Positive Connection Jumper Leads (Sold Separately)

Negative Connection Jumper Leads (Sold Separately)

The safety earth terminal point for the 240 Volt inverter. 12 Volt 400 Amp. Once the Thunder Weekender jumper leads are connected. 12 Volt 400 Amp. Once the Thunder Weekender jumper leads are connected.

4

Master switch

12 Volt 400 Amp. The main control switch for all the 12 Volt outputs, including the jumper cable connections. (Please note master switch does not control 240 Volt charging).

5

240 Volt Inverter Control Switch

Power switch activating the 240 Volt inverter. The green LED indicates system output is good, red indicates system overload.

6

240 Volt Power Socket

10 Amp, 240 Volt pure sine wave inverter connection, 300 Watt continuous, 400 Watt max output for 1 second with automatic overload protection.

7

USB Socket

5 Volt 2.0 Amp.

8

USB Control Switch

Power switch activating the USB socket. The green LED indicates USB output is active.

9

240 Volt Battery Charger Input

Direct connection plug for the supplied 6 Amp, 7 stage Thunder battery charger.

10

50 Amp Anderson Plug Connection

12 Volt with 50 Amp automatic reset circuit breaker. Can be used as an auxiliary output or a charge input (refer to the “Charging your battery in the Thunder Weekender” section of this manual).

11

Standard Accessory Socket x 2

12 Volt, with 15 Amp automatic reset circuit breaker per socket.

12

Merit Accessory Socket x 2

12 Volt, with 15 Amp automatic reset circuit breaker per socket.

Thunder Weekender Specifications

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INSTALLING YOUR BATTERY • Ensure the Weekender is on a flat, level surface and the master switch (4) is in the OFF position. • The front locking tab can be released and the lid lifted. • Inside the battery box are three nylon Velcro straps that will assist in securing your battery in place. For ease of use, ensure these straps are hanging out of the case, or held back whilst inserting your battery. • Your battery is best placed with the Positive (+) post aligned with the red cable and Negative (-) post to the black cable.

• Recommended battery terminals (not supplied) can be purchased from your specialist spare parts outlets or your local Auto Electrician. Warning: When fitting terminal, ensure that you do not touch both Positive and Negative terminals with a metal object such as a spanner. • The red cable eyelet connects to the Positive (+) battery terminal. The black cable eyelet connects to the Negative (-) battery terminal. • Once the terminals are connected and tight, the lid can be shut and secured and the master switch (4) can now be turned on.

• With the battery in place, the straps can be firmly connected. Two of the Velcro straps connect from the front of the battery over to the rear, the third will connect from side to side. • Once the battery is secured using the three connection points, the terminals can be connected to the battery. Many deep cycle batteries have battery posts with wing nuts or screws for termination, the Weekender eyelets can connect directly to these. If your battery comes with standard battery posts only, it is recommended that Positive and Negative battery terminals are purchased to connect your battery to the Weekender.

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How To Use The Thunder Weekender

• Before using the Weekender, the appropriate battery selection needs to be made to ensure the display can provide accurate information. (See page 7 for instructions on setting the battery type)

OPERATING THE LED DISPLAY 13 Battery Type

• With the battery connected, and the master switch (4) turned ON, the Weekender display will be activated once the ON/OFF button (18) is pressed.

14 Battery Voltage

• To save power the LED screen will turn off after 60 seconds. Pressing the ON/OFF button (18) again will turn the screen back on for another 60 seconds.

15 Output Current 16 Battery Amp Hour

• There are four buttons below the LED display that enable the user to control and select battery options; up arrow (21), down arrow (20), OK (19), ON/OFF (18). • The first selection required is battery type (13). Select from GEL, LEAD ACID, CALCIUM, AGM by scrolling through the four options using the up arrow (21) and down arrow (20) buttons. Once the desired battery type option is displayed, press the OK button to confirm your selection. • Once the battery type is selected, the monitor will display the battery Amp hour options (16). • The available options are between 60 and 140 Ah. Any of these options can be selected by scrolling through the options using the up arrow (21) and down arrow (20) buttons.

21 Up 22 Remaining Time (Hours)

20 Down

19 OK

• If your battery’s Amp hour rating is between two possible options on the Weekender LED display (for example your battery is 105 Ah and available are 100 Ah or 110 Ah) it is recommended to select the next highest Amp hour rating available.

18 Display On/Off 17 Remaining Power Percentage

• Press the OK button to confirm your selection. Your Weekender is now ready to use.

How To Use The Thunder Weekender

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ADDITIONAL DISPLAY INFORMATION Additional information that your Weekender displays when the ON/OFF (19) button is pressed. Battery Voltage Output Current

Battery Voltage Displayed during battery charging and discharge.

Output Current Will only read current draw on connected appliances (not when charging) and does not include the power draw the 240 Volt inverter will consume from your battery.

Remaining Time Displays the hours of battery life remaining based on the output current.

NOTE: Low Voltage Alarm

Remaining Time (Hours)

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How To Use The Thunder Weekender

When the battery falls to 30% capacity, the remaining red bars in the power percentage display begin to flash and the Weekender will release an alarm every 60 seconds to alert you to recharge your battery.

CHARGING YOUR BATTERY IN THE THUNDER WEEKENDER There are two ways to charge your battery inside the Weekender. i) By using the 240 Volt battery charger (supplied) with the Weekender; or ii) By adding an external 12 Volt DC charging instrument such as a DC-DC charger, smart solenoid or a 12 Volt solar power setup with regulator connected to the Weekender through the 50 Amp Anderson plug.

• Switching the Weekender master switch (4) to the OFF position will ensure appliances that are connected will not drain your battery inside the Weekender. If accessories in the Weekender are left on and their power consumption exceeds the output of the battery charger your battery will not charge. • Connect the battery charger’s Weekender connection into the 240 Volt battery charger input (9).

i) Using the 240 Volt Thunder Weekender battery charger • With your battery installed and connected in the Weekender, you are ready to use the supplied battery charger. • Included with the battery charger are a set of alligator clamps and connector cable with 8mm eyelets that can be used with the battery charger on 12 Volt negatively grounded vehicle batteries. Weekender Connection

Mains Cable

Alligator Clamps Note: the battery charger supplied with the Thunder Weekender must only be connected to a mains 240 Volt connection, not via a secondary power source such as a 240 Volt inverter. • Plug the battery charger into the mains power supply and turn ON. Battery Charger Connector Cable

• S  elect battery type by scrolling through the options via the battery selector button. Note: if you have an AGM battery, select the LEAD ACID battery type option.

How To Use The Thunder Weekender

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CHARGING YOUR BATTERY IN THE THUNDER WEEKENDER Disconnecting the Thunder Weekender battery charger

CHARGING VOLTAGES GEL

LEAD ACID / AGM

CALCIUM

CHARGING STAGES

14.3 Volt

14.8 Volt

15.6 Volt

BOOST

14.8 Volt

15.2 Volt

16.2 Volt

FLOAT

13.3 Volt

13.7 Volt

13.7 Volt

EXPECTED CHARGE TIMES YOUR BATTERY AMP HOUR RATING

BATTERY CHARGER SPECIFICATIONS INPUT RATING

240 VAC / 50 Hz

Operating temperature

-15°C to +40°C

CHARGE TIME TO 50% CAPACITY

Maximum charge current

6 Amp 0 Volts (will revive a completely discharged battery)

60Ah

5 hours

Minimum start voltage

100Ah

9 hours

Charger type

7 stage pulse

160Ah

14 hours

Environment protection rating

IP65 (dust protection, and low pressure moisture protection)

The Thunder Weekender battery charger is protected from; • Over charging • Reverse polarity • Over temperature • Short circuiting • When the Thunder Weekender 240 Volt battery charger has been connected to the battery in reversed polarity (when using alligator clamps), the FAULTY BATTERY LED indicator will be flashing and the charger will not supply an output charge voltage. • Never leave the battery charger unsupervised until the charging cycles are complete.

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• Your battery is fully charged when stage 7 is illuminated, but can be stopped at any stage by turning off, and disconnecting at the mains connection.

How To Use The Thunder Weekender

CHARGING YOUR BATTERY IN THE THUNDER WEEKENDER 7 stage charge curve

3. Bulk

The Thunder Weekender battery charger employs a 7 stage charging program. These stages automatically switch from one to the next without any user input required.

This is the main charge stage where the battery charger will operate at its maximum output current and voltage until it reaches the correct levels as required from the selection made with “battery selection” button (different battery types require different charge voltage levels). The charging period of this stage is determined by the capacity and charge state of the connected battery.

4. Absorb After the bulk stage, the battery charger will automatically begin to reduce its current output whilst maintaining the required voltage (depending on the battery selection). When the current has reached a predetermined threshold level, charging will halt, allowing the next stage ‘analysis’ to be performed. DESULFATION

SOFT START

BULK

ABSORB

ANALYSIS

BOOST

FLOAT

1. Desulfation In the initial startup stage, a high frequency voltage pulse assists in “waking up” a deeply discharged battery. This method of pulse charging can also help reduce the buildup of sulfate crystals that may have formed on the battery plates during the time it was discharged. This stage will last as long as it takes the battery to reach approximately 10 Volts. If the battery charger is connected, and your battery is only slightly discharged, this stage may only be activated for a short time before automatically moving to the soft start program.

2. Soft start After the battery charger is connected, most conventional battery chargers will immediately apply a high charging voltage output. This can cause a high amount of gassing and heat generated by the battery that can affect individual battery cell voltages to become uneven, lessening the life span of your battery. The soft start function eliminates this by starting the charge process slowly. Battery electrolyte and cell voltage is given a chance to even out prior to the main bulk charging process, greatly increasing the batteries charging capability.

5. Analysis (testing the battery whilst charging) After the absorption stage, the battery charger will start the analysis stage and will stop charging the battery for approximately one minute. At this point, if the battery voltage drops too quickly past the charger’s set parameters, the battery charger’s selected battery LED will begin to flash, and if connected to the Weekender, the red and grey terminals in the LED display will also begin flashing. If the battery passes the test without any faults detected, it will move to the next ‘Boost’ stage.

6. Boost After a successful result from the analysis stage, the battery charger will now enter the boost stage where voltage is increased to maximum output and current is reduced to approximately 25% of the rated output. This stage brings the battery safely up to a 100% charge state.

7. Float This stage evens out voltage between all cells and will maintain a constant pulse voltage with very small current. This stage will remain on indefinitely whilst the battery is connected and is perfect for long term maintenance. Keeping your battery on this maintenance charge will ensure it is always 100% charged and in turn reduce the chance of sulfation, extending battery life. During long term maintenance it is important to periodically check battery fluid levels if it is not a sealed or maintenance free battery. How To Use The Thunder Weekender

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CHARGING YOUR BATTERY IN THE THUNDER WEEKENDER ii) Using an external DC-DC charger or solar regulator. • Your battery can be charged through the 50 Amp Anderson plug connection via a DC-DC charger product or solar panel and regulator products (sold separately) Caution: Anderson connections have Positive (+) and Negative (-) symbols inscribed on the plug to ensure correct polarity when connecting. For your reference, The Weekender Anderson connection point is wired according to these symbols.

Positive connection

Negative connection

• For the Weekender battery to accept an external charge, the master switch (4) must be in the ON position. • The Anderson connection is protected by an automatic 50 Amp reset circuit breaker. Your maximum input charge current will need to be under this rating. • Always ensure a qualified installer has fitted your external charger. Refer to your purchased product for instructions on fuse protection, locations and sizes and also correct cable selection. • The LED display does not indicate the input charge current, only the battery voltage.

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How To Use The Thunder Weekender

USING THE ACCESSORY PORTS The Standard Accessory and Merit Accessory ports simply require the connection of your 12 Volt accessory. All four sockets are protected by separate 15 Amp automatic reset circuit breakers. Always ensure the Weekender is mounted on an even, flat surface before connecting to the accessories sockets, and all accessories are disconnected before moving the Weekender.

USING THE 240 VOLT POWER INVERTER The Weekender is equipped with a 300 Watt, 240 Volt pure sine wave inverter.

•

Once a correct connection is made to the Earth terminal point (1) ensure the Weekender 240 Volt inverter control switch (5) is in the OFF position before connecting an appliance.

•

Always check your appliance power consumption before connecting to the Weekender 240 Volt power socket (6) making sure the product is not rated over 300 Watt.

•

Once your appliance is connected, you can turn the 240 Volt inverter control switch (5) ON. The green LED will be displayed if the 240 Volt output is working.

•

If an appliance is connected to the 240 Volt power socket (6) and the power consumption is too high, the inverters internal circuit breaker will trip and the red LED will display above the inverter control switch (5). The inverter control switch must be turned OFF, then the appliance disconnected before turning the inverter control switch back on again.

Pure sine wave inverters differ from standard modified sine wave inverters by releasing a more accurate voltage over time that reflects a mains power source. As modified sine wave inverters cut voltage much faster, they do not provide an adequate power supply for more sophisticated appliances such as voltage conversion, and motoring products (for example, a laptop power supply and power tools).

VOLTAGE

TIME

NEGATIVE

TIME

NEGATIVE

VOLTAGE

POSITIVE

Modified sine wave

POSITIVE

Pure sine wave

Earth terminal point (1.) As the Thunder Weekender is a portable power pack with a built in 240 Volt inverter, a suitable connection needs to be made from the Weekender’s earth terminal point (1) to a grounding point on your vehicle or boat. If the Weekender, and the 240 Volt inverter are being used as a stand alone power source away from any vehicle or boat input, the best earth connection point is your battery negative terminal inside the Weekender. Warning! Operating the 240 Volt inverter without an adequate ground connection to the earth terminal point may cause an electrical hazard.

INVERTER SPECIFICATIONS OUTPUT WAVEFORM

PURE SINE WAVE

Output voltage

240 VAC ± 3%

Frequency

50/60 Hz ±0.05%

Output power (Constant)

300 Watt

Output power (Peak)

400 Watt for 1 second (With automatic over load shutdown)

Input voltage

10 - 15 Volt

Over voltage protection

YES - 16 Volt shutdown

Under voltage protection

YES - 9.5 Volt shutdown

Thermal protection

YES - 60°C Output reduction

How To Use The Thunder Weekender

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TRANSPORTING THE THUNDER WEEKENDER Note: The Thunder Weekender is designed to hold the largest possible battery so power output can be sustained as long as possible without needing to recharge your battery. Extreme driving conditions may cause the battery to slide inside the Weekender. Nonconductive materials such as timber is recommended to fill the gaps between the battery and the insides of the battery compartment to prevent battery movement under harsh driving and boating conditions. • When transporting the Weekender, cavities under the lid provide strap down points to secure the unit using straps (not included). This allows access to your battery without removing from your vehicle.

Soft gripping straps are recommended. Using ratcheting straps, or tying down too tightly, may cause the Weekender to flex and possibly cause damage to the case.

• The Weekender lid provides sufficient air gaps to allow for battery ventilation, always ensure nothing is packed on top of the Weekender. • Do not allow additional weight to be placed on top of the Weekender lid, it may flex or break.

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Transporting the Thunder Weekender

FAQ’S AND TROUBLE SHOOTING What is the definition of Ah? Ah represents the battery term Amp hour. This is a rating given to most deep cycle batteries and provides an indication of battery life capacity. For example if a battery has a 100 Ah (Amp hour) rating it can provide an output of 1 Amp for 100 hours, or 100 Amp for 1 hour (until completely discharged). How can I calculate what battery is best for me? Calculating the best battery for your use is easiest when you know the power demands of your connected accessories. By measuring your power demands you can calculate your total Amp draw, then estimate how long you expect to use the accessories. For example, with a 10 Amp draw, over 6 hours, your minimum requirement is a 60 Ah battery. I have connected my battery and turned the master switch ON, but the LED display will not activate when I press the ON/OFF (19) button? Check the battery terminals are connected tight. If there is still no display, your battery may be completely discharged. Connect the Thunder Weekender 240 Volt battery charger following the instructions and recharge your battery before checking the LED display again. I have selected my battery and Ah rating, but the Remaining Power Percentage display is not reading 100%? Your battery inside the Weekender may not be 100% charged. Connect the Thunder 240 Volt battery charger and recharge your battery before checking the LED display again. How do I know that my battery is fully charged inside the Weekender? If you are using the Thunder Weekender 240 Volt battery charger, the unit will be in stage 7 (float) when battery charging is fully complete and the Weekender will display 100% on the remaining power percentage display. If you have charged your battery via the Anderson connection using an external 12 Volt power supply such as a DC-DC charger, the remaining power percentage display will read 100%, this may stay at 100% if the external 12 Volt power supply is kept on and the power draw is lower than the input charge.

For example, a 40 Amp DC-DC charger will keep the battery in positive charge and at 100 % with a 12 Volt 3 Amp fridge drawing power from you battery. When should I recharge my battery inside the weekender? The Weekender LED display will release a single ‘beep’ every 60 seconds once your battery falls to 30% remaining charge. The final three red bars on the remaining power percentage display (18) will flash. To best protect your battery, it is recommended to recharge at this time or as soon as possible. Discharging your battery to 0 Volts may cause internal cell damage. How can I measure how long the Thunder Weekender 240 Volt battery charger will take to recharge my battery? The Thunder Weekender 240 Volt battery charger has an output rating of 6 Amp during the bulk stage of its charge cycle. When you have your battery Ah rating, you can roughly calculate the length of time your battery will take to recharge from zero volt to 100% charge using the Thunder Weekender 240 Volt battery charger by reversing the calculation used to measure battery drainage. For example a 100 Ah battery at zero capacity with a 6 Amp charge input will take roughly 16.6 hours to be charged. (100 / 6 = 16.6 hours). With your battery inside the Weekender, the LED display can provide a calculation of battery capacity via the remaining power percentage display. You can use this remaining calculation to also aid in calculating charge times. For example, a 100 Ah battery at 60% capacity with a 6 Amp charge input will take roughly 6.6 hours to be charged (40 / 6 = 6.6 hours). The Thunder Weekender 240 Volt battery charger, along with all smart battery chargers will only charge their rated amperage for a period of time before regulating. How do I know what stage the Thunder Weekender 240 Volt battery charger is at? The battery charger displays the current charging stage on the charger above the Voltage algorithm, when the charger moves to the next step, the last stage’s green LED will remain on. Once charging is complete all seven LEDs will be displayed and the battery charger will continue in the float stage.

Frequently Asked Questions & Trouble Shooting

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FAQ’S AND TROUBLE SHOOTING

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Can I charge the Weekender using solar panels? Yes, you can use solar to charge the battery (once the panel output has been regulated) via the 50 Amp Anderson plug connection (10). Ensure the master switch (4) is in the ON position.

When I charge my battery in the Weekender, the LED display does not show a current output? The LED display will only show output current that is being drawn from your battery as it discharges.

Can I charge the Weekender using a DC-DC charger? Yes, just like solar charging the Weekender can accept a 12 Volt charge input from a DC-DC charger. This can be achieved by connecting the DC-DC charger outputs to the Weekender’s 50 Amp Anderson plug connection, and ensuring the master switch (4) is turned ON.

The red LED is displayed when I turn the Weekender 240 Volt inverter. If the red LED display is active when the 240 Volt inverter control switch has been turned on and a 240 Volt appliance is connected, the appliance may have a power demand that is too high for the inverter.

Frequently Asked Questions & Trouble Shooting